Persons owing the Ghana Water Company Limited will also enjoy free water for the next three months, the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has clarified.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Water Company, Dr. Clifford Braimah, had said persons owing would have to settle their arrears before getting the free water.
But the Minister at a press briefing on Tuesday morning indicated that this was not the case.
“The arrears will be kept as arrears, but those who owe will enjoy [free] water for April, May and June so there shouldn’t be any alarm. The arrears are on hold,” she said.
Ms Dapaah also urged landlords to desist from charging tenants for water usage within the three months.
“I know there are landlords who also charge tenants for water. With all due respect, the water should be given to all tenants free because the landlords will not be paying water bills for April, May and June,” she stated.
Status of disconnected customers
The Ghana Water Company Limited says customers who have had their lines disconnected will not enjoy the government’s announced free water supply.
The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Dr. Clifford Braimah says the company will not move to reconnect customers ahead of the reliefs.
“The people who are owing us, we expect that they pay before they get free water. Somebody said those of them who have been disconnected, we have to connect them so that they will benefit from the three months [free water service]. I said the President is not telling me to give free water to those who are not connected because the president is not paying for January or February, and so those owing will have to pay,” he said in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show.
But arrangements were being made for communities that do not enjoy water supply to be served by water tankers.